South Melbourne Market wants plastic bag ban in place by 2018

YOU might find amazing fresh veg, tasty dim sims and delicious seafood — but you won’t be going home with one of these from South Melbourne market next year.

PLASTIC shopping bags are expected to be banned at South Melbourne Market soon.

Customers would be urged to bring their own containers, bags and baskets to carry everything from meat to seafood, pasta sauces, dips and other merchandise.

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There are also plans to offer free fabric bags made by volunteers. Shoppers could possibly be charged up to 10c for paper bags.

City of Port Phillip, which runs the popular market, wants to stop stallholders handing out single-use plastic bags by the new year.

It is seeking community and trader feedback on its environmental push.

“It is estimated that Australians use seven to eight billion plastic bags a year and millions of these end up in landfills, our waterways and oceans or in the stomachs of defenceless seabirds and turtles,” mayor Bernadene Voss said.

South Melbourne Market shopper Suzanna Pally goes plastic bag-free at Georgie's Harvest. Picture Rebecca Michael.

“We are taking the lead on it because minimising waste is really important. We believe we can be better to our planet.

“Our municipality is right near a sensitive foreshore area and so we need to make sure our bay is as clean as possible.”

Traders contacted by the Herald Sun, including Alka Polish Deli, Nutshoppe, and Better Price Cosmetics & Toiletries, supported the idea.

The Little Wine Shop owner Anna Scalzo said she would need to discuss alternatives with a supplier, while South Melbourne Seafoods manager Matt Thapa said it had already switched to biodegradable bags.

The plastic bag will soon be outlawed from South Melbourne Market.

The market first tried banning plastic bags in 2004. That was overturned due to customer unrest.

Cr Voss said times had changed and there was now widespread support to cut back on plastics.

“After the survey finishes next month, and if the statistics continue to be favourable, we will prepare a strategy to phase plastic bags out of the market by the New Year,” she said.

South Melbourne Market attracts almost five million visitors annually.

The Andrews Government is seeking a national approach on reducing the impact of plastic bags, but has not ruled out moving forward with a state ban.

“A ban on single-use lightweight ‘supermarket-style’ plastic bags, consistent with other jurisdictions, is one of the options being considered,” Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio’s spokesman David McNamara said.

South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory have plastic bag bans.

@KarenCollierHS